What are bubble socks? Why are bubble socks so popular in Japan?

Bubble socks are also a type of socks, which are slightly similar to pile socks. They were originally invented by American mountaineers and later introduced to Japan. Girls wearing bubble socks can be seen everywhere on Japanese campuses. Why are bubble socks so popular in Japan?

Basically, it can be regarded as the standard of school uniforms, and no matter spring, summer, autumn or winter, you can basically see Japanese schoolgirls wearing them on the street. So what exactly is this kind of half-length socks, which is different from some of the silk stockings, sports socks, and boat socks we wear daily? In fact, it has a very vivid name, called "bubble socks". At the beginning, it was designed mainly for climbing sports, which can protect the legs and have a certain warmth effect.

After being imported in large quantities into Japan, bubble socks have become a daily street wear item for young women. Some schools have even begun to incorporate bubble socks into school uniforms. Therefore, you can often see in Japanese dramas that Japanese students wear a pair of such half-length socks.

First, cover up short and thick legs

Many Japanese girls' calves are not as straight as those in Europe and America, and many of them have thick calves, showing an O-shaped leg state. In addition, their average height is not high. If they simply wear short skirts to expose their calves, they will expose the problem of short and thick legs. Bubble socks are just the length of the calf, which is the middle part of the calf. They can cleverly cover up the problem of thick and short calves, and use the segmentation effect of lines to create a golden ratio cut of the legs, making the legs look thinner and longer, and the leg lines are more beautiful~

Second, it has its own warmth-keeping effect

In Japan, girls basically wear skirts, and most of them are short skirts. It’s okay in summer, after all, it’s comfortable to wear short skirts in the cool season, but it’s a bit difficult in autumn and winter. When the weather gets cold, you expose your legs to the cold wind and you feel like you’re freezing. So, after wearing bubble socks, you can cover part of your calves and have a certain effect of keeping warm.

Third, increase the sense of layering of clothing

The Japanese dressing style is a little different from the Korean style. The Korean style is casual and simple, while the Japanese style emphasizes the changes in layers. Bubble socks can increase the layering of the lower body, and when matched with the overall look, it creates an impressive visual effect.

Although bubble socks are extremely popular, they are gradually changing in the later period. Now black socks are more common. They are kept to the length of the calf and are not too stuffy. They can also be worn in the summer when the temperature is relatively high. Moreover, black is more versatile and does not have the overly loose feeling of bubble socks. It can better shape the legs~

Early to mid-1980s

In the 1980s, Japanese high school girls wore the most traditional sailor suits. Although the sleeves and hems were long due to the conservative times, they had a unique sense of elegance and dignity that only Japanese girls have. This style was actually quite common in the comics we read when we were young, right? (Laughs)

Late 1980s to early 1990s

After the 1980s, as the atmosphere became more open, the skirts of Japanese high school girls began to become shorter. At that time, the most popular combination was above-knee skirts like the one in the photo, paired with long white socks!

Mid-1990s to late 1990s

The skirts after the 90s are even shorter (unscrupulously), but the highlight of the overall look is of course the socks?

At this time, the "bubble socks" that were popular all over Japan also spread to Taiwan. (Although the editor didn't quite understand it at the time) (Ah) However, this trend also led to some high schools in Japan at the time to ban the wearing of bubble socks, but it is still a very representative cultural symbol of JK.

Late 1990s to early 2000s

By the late 1990s, bubble socks began to slowly fade out of fashion, and black and white knee-high socks gradually replaced the former because of their strong effect in shaping the legs.

Mid-2000～Present

Finally, JK clothing has not changed much after 2000, but now high school girls will use knitted jackets, bow ties, and ties to create their own styles that are different from others, and no longer blindly pursue only a certain trend, right?